Thursday, 29 May 2014

Gazania is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to Southern Africa. They produce large, daisy-like composite flowers in brilliant shades of red, pink, yellow and orange, over a long period in summer. They are often planted as drought-tolerant ground-cover.

The gazania flower, named for the 15th century Greek-Italian scholar Theodorus of Gaza, is a low maintenance flower that will brighten up hard-to-landscape spaces. Butterflies will flock to these prolific summer bloomers and the flowers will last well into the Autumn, until the frosts appear.

Tuesday, 27 May 2014

Pláka (Greek: Πλάκα) is the old historical neighbourhood of Athens, clustered around the northern and eastern slopes of the Acropolis, and incorporating labyrinthine streets and neoclassical architecture. Plaka is built on top of the residential areas of the ancient town of Athens. It is known as the "Neighbourhood of the Gods" due to its proximity to the Acropolis and its many archaeological sites.

Plaka is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists around the year, and is under strict zoning and conservation regulations, as the only neighbourhood in Athens where all utilities (water, power, cable television, telephone, internet, and sewage) lie underground in fully accessible, custom-made tunnelling. Excavations have proven that Adrianou Street is the oldest street in Athens still in continuous use with exactly the same layout since antiquity.

Sunday, 25 May 2014

The St Kilda Luna Park in Melbourne has been one of the city's most prominent landmarks ever since its opening in 1912, and is intrinsic to the suburb's resort character. Melbourne's Luna Park is acclaimed as the world's oldest amusement park under private management and is possibly the only one of its kind still in operation. It is typical of the type developed in America in the late 19th century, catering for the entertainment and relaxation of large numbers of people.

Even though it has been in decline for the last 20 years, with a few of the original sites intact, Luna Park is of national significance. The face, flanking towers, and the Scenic Railway have all been classified by the National Trust. As a whole it is regarded as important for its early date, rarity, continuity of use and for its symbolic association with St.Kilda and Melbourne.

Saturday, 24 May 2014

Glen Helen Gorge in Australia's Northern Territory is a great place to view the West MacDonnell Ranges. The gorge is located 132 kilometres from Alice Springs, in the western reaches of the West MacDonnell Ranges, and is a popular overnight stop for drivers embarking on the Red Centre Way from Alice Springs. The landscape around Glen Helen is spectacular - a towering sandstone wall is the first thing you see as you arrive.

The area includes views of Mount Sonder, one of the highest points in Central Australia, which changes colours with the light. At Glen Helen Gorge the ranges part to make way for the Finke River. The permanent Finke River waterhole is an important refuge in the hot summer months, for all nine species of fish recorded for the Finke, and migrating waterbirds. From here the Finke River continues and makes its way to the Simpson Desert.

The area's traditional owners believe that this inviting swimming spot is the home of an ancient and powerful Rainbow Serpent, and regard it as off limits. The medium grade one-day Section 10 of the 223-kilometre Larapinta Trail walk ends at Glenn Helen Junction.

Thursday, 22 May 2014

We have been enjoying some warm, fair Autumn days in Melbourne during the past week and the gardens are showing some interesting phenomena. New rose flowers are blooming, some Spring blossoming trees are flowering and I've even seen some lilac bushes in full bloom. It is as though the weather has tricked some plants into going in Spring mode...

Tuesday, 20 May 2014

Santorini (Greek: Σαντορίνη), classically Thera (Greek: Θήρα); is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km southeast of Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands, with an area of approximately 73 km2 and a 2011 census population of 15,550. The municipality of Santorini comprises the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana. The total land area is 90.623 km2. Santorini is part of the Thira regional unit.

Santorini is essentially what remained after an enormous volcanic eruption that destroyed the earliest settlements on a formerly single island, and created the current geological caldera. A giant central, rectangular lagoon, which measures about 12 by 7 km, is surrounded by 300 m high, steep cliffs on three sides. The main island slopes downward to the Aegean Sea. On the fourth side, the lagoon is separated from the sea by another much smaller island called Therasia; the lagoon is connected to the sea in two places, in the northwest and southwest. The depth of the caldera, at 400m, makes it possible for all but the largest ships to anchor anywhere in the protected bay; there is also a newly built marina at Vlychada, on the southwestern coast. The island's principal port is Athinias. The capital, Fira, clings to the top of the cliff looking down on the lagoon.

The expansion of tourism has resulted in the growth of the economy and population. The major settlements include Fira (Phira), Oia, Emporio, Kamari, Perissa, Imerovigli, Pyrgos, and Therasia. Akrotiri is a major archaeological site, with ruins from the Minoan era. Santorini's primary industry is tourism, particularly in the summer months. Santorini was ranked world's top island for many other magazines and travel sites, including the Travel+Leisure Magazine, the BBC, as well as the US News.